GMOA says NFTH not acquired but leased to Govt. – Daily Mirror

The GMOA said today the Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital (NFTH) was acquired by the government on a lease agreement.

GMOA Secretary Haritha Aluthge told a news conference the GMOA would consider the acquisition as one carried out without any transparency. He said Dr. Fernando or Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne should brief the country about terms and conditions involved in the transaction.

He said even though the NFTH was acquired by the government it had not resolved the SAITM controversy.

GMOA Assistant Secretary Naveen De Zoysa said NFTH was built at a cost of Rs.3.5 billion with a loan of Rs.2 billion granted by a State bank.

He said the government was allowing the hospital 10 years to settle the loan but the salaries and other costs would be borne by the government and asked on what basis was the government claiming that it had taken over the NFTH. (Thilanka Kanakarathna)